Control system for fluid fuel burners



Aug. 21, 1951 V. WEBER CONTROL.l SYSTEM FOR FLUID FUEL BURNERS FiledFeb. 24, 1951 INVENToR. Vwtop M/ebep.

HIS

,. mmm. WQ Nk Q %N @N um I m 1 N N n NNRE www 1% QN @N SMN Kw w 1 1 uva@m www1@ im M mi NN SQ S |11 NNN J WN 1 4 @QN r AWN N @gm mk f TTRNE'YPatented Aug. 2l, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT CGNTWRQL` SYSTEM FORl FLUIDFUELL- BURNERS Application February 24, 1951, SerialNo. 212,549.

invention relatos; to.- control. siisteino for.:fluioiuel-bizmersfonsilmoitepartioularly to. oleo.-trioally;onerehloapoeratlis o f thotypog.

In; fluid; fuol...burnine.i apparatus itis' often do.-` enable..v tofeffect. automatic: operation. Cif; the; 5. ou big.y of: a. timing..meoiiaei mi. To.; tbisend-. it .is @n.obieotof.: thiSzini/ontion-.toGoor-- infolinev atlmissionoi; fiieltof-tnefbiirners; timed".intervals,.-

' .Lfiirthenobisiot:offthis. invontionioroorir l0 assomme-of the-flou.motores valse. Anotiien objootof.- this invention is to control:admission f l. I

. this; invoniioir, is; to. oon:- Struotzthe ,oontiolsystemWithf.simpleinexpoosivoa parts;

Another object; of.- this: invention, to; permit: 20 theoperetionofzitlieloiirners:inzthereyentof poil/oirv failli-re.

Apreferreiembodiment of; the present invoer tionoomp s a Inburnonsuppliod"Withfuol bye conduit.:A the of.; fiiol which isunder. 25theeoontrol of; a; n. to an open'. positie., b vf device responsive.-to., the presenoer; of nomefatr pilot biirrier- Fuolf fiowto; thnormalilyoloseolf valve and.; to.. thevv pilot burnerfis con.. .rolledby a manually-operable 30 valve, thesupplyof' fue1.;to: which is intern:con: trolled". by a, normally.- open. oleotrio 1b.' operable valve. Anelectric igniter; is provldmed for the` loilotrburnerVr and has anen.oreizine` oiroiiitf oontrolled byfa timinefdevioe by asWi-toh mooie--3o anism operatively asso.ciatedL vvitlr` the manually; opl'afblvalymThe timin devieyalsg'co 041s energizatfion of 151.1%.etc-tuating means-QI/ the npr;n rnally.l open. electrically: operable; valve.4

Furthen objects; and; advantages. will. be.. err 4.0 parent from the.aooomo. yme--soeo-.i-,oetion aiid claimsetaken with; thedrayvingfvvliichlv' n matieviewoff a control; system for: a. iietb r;embodyingetnis inventiom. af..portion.tbereo;ii beine shown in thesection is an improvement o. the; system.. disolosed.v and claimed inthe oonomiine: application of Viotoe '165 fiIeLiNQVQmben 1.5,A 1.950-

21 ohio valve moans 1.6;: and oorineliv open... 61.8.0.-- trioaHyoperable volvo here Shown a Solenoid. vali/,fi I8,

Ari; eieotrio, ienitoie 20. io diSROSesf. in'. gfities.- roietionwith @1-.pilot buriiorzieiiirn dispose@ ienitirie relation with the burner:llt.

SP911SYe Va1Ve meffnse '4 Wrfl.; may" Q OIQPSJ- a; valve. ohorriloerv1;8 formed: iii ton@ orpi/RiedA with. i111 i. outlet opening, 3.2.` Tmuiiioateoawitho nip burner |0- Disposed. 1.11; te Cham is a valve seat36 cooperable with a.-L v x mont 38V to interrupt flowlo. =t.iif-.eon;ytheinlet. 30 ondfthe outlet 32.1 A ooilzspr-.inefllt acts between a.Wall 42 ofthefvalve4 cl'iatnberi2K3 and thel valve member 38V to` bias.the valve member 333,- into` engagement with the; valve-seat 36 ,1

Depending. from` the lower side of; the. valve;` member 3 8 is a valvestemV 44 whichl extends. through a bore 46: in the4 casing 2.6. TheLdi,-` ameter i of theA bore. 4,6\ is; sufficient;v to. permitaxialmovement. of the valve. stem. 414 therein, The free. end 4.8of;the..valvestem.A 44 extends beneath the. casing? 26:; to abut aleverk 50; which; is` pivotect at one.. endA 52K ina bracketA 54.secured toi. the casing. 26.

The lever El): is adapted to bev moved about its` pivot bya` thermallyresponsive device which may comprise the usual rexpansible element 56,capillarytube 58, and bulb 6U. The bulb (il)v is` disposed adjacent thepilot burnerv 22 to be-heatedv byna name emanating therefrom.Theexpansible element 56 is mounted` on a cover 62: secured` in fluidrelatiorrlto the 10i/Verf side of they casing- 26 by any suitable means(not shown). Movement is transmitted from the expansible element 55 tothe lever 5 6 by meansr ofV a thrust button` fifi; oarriedjonilie uppersurface of: the. eilaiisbio. element. 56.. It will. be eppeiontihat. theab.- Sonoo of.y a 11eme. at. theoilot boitier. 22..A the B2i: sensible..element. 5.6, will. hein. oontraetodoor dition and. the Spring 4.0,will. hold.. the. Valve. member 3.8 ogeinst'tnovolyeseei. 3...@ It will`also. oo. apparent that e. flame emanating: irooiv the. pilot burner 22`will be.v effective to heat the bulb Sli to cause expansion of theexpansibk element 565, counterclockwise rotation; 0 1A theleyen 50 v ando.; movement. of the. valve member 3.1i.. against iii-e bias of thespring 40 and away from the valve seat 36.

The manually operable means I6 may comprise a simple fuel cock (notshown) mounted in a casing 66 for rotation between fuel ow permittingand fuel flow preventing positions. Manual rotation of the cock may beeffected by means of a knob 68 connected to the cock through a stem 10.

Fuel may be admitted to the casing 8G of the manually operable valvemeans I@ through a conduit 'I2 connected therewith and egress of fuelfrom the casing 56 may be had through a pair of outlets. One of the pairof outlets communicates with a conduit 'I4 which communicates with theinlet 30 of the valve chamber 28 of the thermally responsive valve meansI4. The other of the pair of outlets communicates with the conduit 24connected to the pilot burner 22. The manually operable valve means ISthus controls the flow of fuel to both the thermally responsive valve I4and pilot burner 22.

Flow of fuel to the thermally responsive valve means I4 may also beunder the control of condition responsive valve means which may comprisea thermostatically controlled valve combined with the manually operablevalve means in a manner well known in the art. The thermostatic controlfor the thermostatically controlled valve may include a temperaturesensing element here shown as a bulb 'I6 exposed to the temperature ofthe space to be heated by the main burner I and -connected to a valveactuating mechanism (not shown) by a capillary tube 18. Since combinedfuel cocks and thermostatically controlled valves are well known in theart, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

The solenoid valve i8 is normally open and is adapted to be closed whenthe solenoid winding thereof is energized. The solenoid valve I8 isconnected to a conduit 80 in communication with the supply conduit I2and also to the conduit I2 which communicates with the casing 56 of themanually operable valve means I3. Thus, the solenoid valve I8 controlsthe flow of fuel to the manually operable valve means I3.

A stand-by pilot burner 82 is disposed in igniting relation with themain burner I0 and is connected to the supply conduit I2 by conduits 84and 8B. Flow of fuel to the stand-by pilot burner 82 is under thecontrol of valve means 88 which may comprise a valve chamber 90 formedin the casing 23 and provided with an inlet -92 and an outlet 94. ing 92communicates with the conduit 8S and the outlet opening 94 communicateswith the conduit B4. A valve seat 93 disposed in the valve chamber 90 iscooperable with a valve member 98 to interrupt flow between the inletopening 92 and the outlet opening 94.

A valve stem |00 is slidably carried in a bore |02 formed in the casing26 and extends between the valve member 98 and the level` 50 of thethermally responsive actuating means. It will be apparent that rotationof the lever 50 under the influence of a fiame at the pilot burner 22will cause an upward movement of the valve stem |00 and associated valvemember' 98 to move the valve member 93 away from the valve seat 96. Whenthe valve member 98 is not so moved it will be held against the valveseat 3G by the pressure of the fuel supply acting thereon and by thebias of a spring 99 interposed between the valve member 198 and thecasing 2 5 rThe inlet open- A standby pilot control of the type hereindisclosed is disclosed and claimed in the copending application ofCharles K. Strobel, Serial No. 189,584, filed October 11, 1950.

Also disposed Within the casing 23 is a thermally responsive switchingdevice |34. Secured to the bottom of a recess formed in the casing 26 isan apertured element |98 formed of suitable insulating material andcarrying thereon a pair of `contacts IIQ. The contacts |I0 are arrangedin spaced relation and are engageable by a movable plate IIR to completea circuit therebetween. A coil spring |I4 acts between the movable plateII2 and a closure` member IIB to bias the plate I I2 into engagementwith the contacts II 0.

An operative connection is established between the movable plate II2 ofthe switching device |94 and the lever 50 of the thermally responsiveactuating device by a push rod I I8 slidably carried in a bore |29formed in the casing 26. The push rod I I8 extends through the aperturedelement |08 to engage the movable plate III) and also extends beneaththe casing 29 to abut the lever 50. It will be apparent that when theexpansible element 56 is in its nonexpanded condition, the coil springIICI of the switching device |04 will maintain the plate II2 in enagement with the contacts H0 and that counterclockwise rotation of thelever 53 about its pivot 52, upon expansion of the expansible element56, will cause upward movement of the push rod I|8 and the plate I|2associated therewith to disengage the plate ||2 and the contacts IIS.

Movement of the solenoid valve between fuel ilow permitting and fuelflow preventing positions is under the control of a timing Ymechanismindicated generally by the reference numeral |22. This mechanismincludes a double throw switch having a switch blade |24 pivoted at |25to be alternatively movable into engagement with two fixed contacts I28, |29. The switch blade |24 is connected to a reciprocal plunger |30of a timer here shown as a clock |32. -The timer |32 may be of anysuitable form and may be manually adjusted to cause axial movement ofthe plunger |30 at preselected times. It is understood that the timer|32 may also be manually adjusted to set and retain the plunger |30 inits retracted or extended position. As timing devices of this type arewell known in the art, further description of the timer |32 is deemedunnecessary.

The switch I24-|28 of the clock actuated mechanism |22 forms a part ofan energizing circuit for the solenoid of the solenoid valve I8 andserves to connect the solenoid winding of the solenoid valve to a sourceof commercial current here shown as line Wires LI and L2. Thus, movementof the solenoid valve between fuel flow permitting and fuel flowpreventing positions is under the control of the timing mechanism |22.The energizing circuit for the solenoid winding of the solenoid valve I8may be traced as follows: line wire LI, wire |33, wire |40, solenoidwinding of solenoid valve I8, wire |42, contact |28, switch blade |24,contact |25, and wire |48, to line Wire L2.

Energization of the igniter 20 is under the control of the clockactuated switch I24-I29 and also under the control of a switch |32operatively associated with the manually operable valve means I6. Theswitch |32 forms a part of the energizing circuit of the igniter 20 andis here shown as including an actuating lever |34 engageable by acamelement |36f carried byL the stem of the manually operable valvemeans |16 to be rotatable therewith. rllheswitch |32r is so designedthat rotation ofthe knob- 58 to. close the f-uel cock of the manuallyoperable valve means I6 will open the switch |32 and rotation of theknob 63 to openl the cock ofA theVV manually operable valveA means |6will close` the switch |32.

The. energizing circuit for the igniterl 2.0; may beY traced asfoll'owsrlinewire L wire` |38;,cne of the contacts |10. ofthe switching device|04, movable plate |121, theot-her of the pair of 'con-f tactsv |`|01otthe.. switchingl device |04, wire4 |511,

lower terminal of` the primaryA winding offastep down transformer |152,primary winding ofthe transformer |52, upper terminal of: the primarywinding ofthe transformer |252, wire |44', switch |:32,.wirev l.4.,xcontact |129.. switch blade |24', contact |;26, and. wire |543.y toIline wire. L2.: Thus, when the.,l clock: actuated switch blade L24 is,in engagement with Contact |29.s.witch. |:3;2,is.closed and switchingdevice |04 is. closed, current will flow through the primary winding.of. the trans.- former |52. Energization or the-primarvfwinding of; thetransformer |52l will causea; current to be induced, in. the secondarywinding thereof and suoni current will flow through a circuit.. whichmay he.v traced as follows: lower terminal; of. the secondary' windingof the transformer |52', Wire |54, ballast; resistor |563, wire |58Jigniterv 20, Wire ls, ballast resistor |55 and wire |52 tothe upperterminal of the secondary winding of the trans.- former |52.

Operation Assuming that the apparatus is inthe condition shown in thedrawing; with no flame existing at any ofi the, burners` and itv isdesired; to. adjust thea-pparatus. for automatic operation, the timer|132. isv set to move.- the plunger |30; to.` movel the switch blade|24.out of engagement. with contact |28: and' into engagement, withvcontact. |520. at. a selected time. and the knob G8. is rotated tomovethe fuel cock of. the manually operable valve means IS to an openposition. Such. rotation of the knob (i3 willr cause the cam elementIzto engage the. actuating lever` |34 of; the switch |532 to close the.switch |32. so. that when the timer |32 moves. the switch. blade |24.into engagement with. the contact |29-, the. previously tracedenergizing circuit for the igniter 2|);iszccni-pletedV and: the igniterwill become energized.,

When the switch blade |24 is moved. outzof engagement withY the contact;t2 85,. the previously traced. energizing., circuit forthesolenoidWinding is. broken and the. solenoid; valve. will.` assume its fuel owpermitting position.. Euelwillthenow from the supply conduit; I2through` the' conduit 80. solenoid valve.; I8, conduit 12, manuallyloperable valve means. le, and conduit 24 to the.I pilot.

burner 22.y

Since the bulb 6010i; the thermally. responsive actuating means1 is inits unheated conditiom the mechanism in the casing 2.6, willbe inY theposi. tion shown, in` the drawing with the: thermally responsive valvemeans` |.4r preventing now of fuell toy the main burner, |03` thekstandby pilot valve 88; preventing flow of fuel to the standby pilotburner 62, andthe plate |-|2 of; the switching device! 04 engagingtheicontacts M0 to completethe previously tracedy energizing circuit ofthe ignter. 20. Current flowing through the igniter wi1l raiseitstemperature sufficiently to,A cause ignition of. thefuel. flowingfromthe pilot bur-ner 2.2. to produce a flame directed against .the bulb60.

Asy the temperature of] the bulb 6.0 increases, the expansible element5&.wi11j expandcausing an upward movement of the thrust button 61|randcounterclockwise rotation of the lever 50 about its Vpivot 52. Ashereinbeforedescribed, such rota tion of? the lever 50'- will causeopening of' the normally closed valvefmeansf I4v and standby pilot valve88# and'. movement.- of the plate ||2.- of the switching device 0.4'.out of' engagement: with the contacts: I0..

Thus fuel will ilowt from the. manually operable valvemeans. 6: throughthe conduit. 1.4, inlet opening 30 of valve means I4, valve chamber 20,past valve seat 3.6l through the.4 outlet opening 32 of the valve means4, and through conduit 34 to the main burner |50. where: it will*A beignited by the flame at. the pilot burner 22. Fuel will also flow from.the supplyY conduit I2y through the. conduit |36.y tothe valve;chamberl 9.0 of the standby pilot valve v 8 8; pastzthe valve seat 9,6;through the outlet opening 94j of the standby pilot valvev 88, andthrough the conduit 84' to the standby pilot burner |32A where it; willbe: ignited bythe name. at the main burnerA l0.

When the plate. 22 ofthe switching device. |04. is movedj out; ofengagement with the contacts 0, the energizing. circuitv for the igniter20 is interrupted and the igniter 2.0 will be deenergized.v The igniter;20;' will remain. in its deenera gized condition as long as a. flameexists atthe pilot burner 22.

rlhe apparatus isfnowr in its condition for steady state'operation withthe ilow offuel to` the, main burner I0 through the conduit'|.4Ibeingunder the control of the thermostatically actuated valve as-isociated. with; manually-operable.. valve means I6 in accordanceV withthe. temperatures sensed by the temperaturefsensing element-'I6l If,whenthe. appara-tusfis infA condition for steady state operation, thellame at".y the pilot burners 20, 8.2. shouldv accidently be`extinguished, the bulb 60 willV cool. causing contraction of theexpansible element 56 and clockwisey rotation of the lever 5:0 aboutitspivot-52 under the bias of the springs 40',v 9.9 and- ||4 to. positionthe plate. 2 ofV the switching device. |504. in engagement with thecontacts |..|,0; and onceagaincomplete the energizing circuity for the.igniter- 20 to effect a recycling of the. system.

Whentheti-mer |3Zofjthe clock actuated mechanism |22 acts to move theswitch bladey |24 out of engagement with` the contact. |25 and intoengagementwith` the contact |23., the energizing circuiti of; theIsolenoid' winding of the solenoid valve |8 is completedand.;the.solenoid winding is energized. The solenoid: valve.` |.0 will.then act to. shut off alli the flow of fiuel from thesupply conduit- |2through. the conduit. 80. Thus the fuel supply tothemainburner I0 andtothe pilot burner 22 will.: be cut; off andf the flames a-t saidburners will be ext-ingfuished.`

Upon extinguishment. or the-flame at the pilot burner 22,l the'bul-b.60iwill cool causing contraction offthe expansiblei element 55A. andclockwise rotation of the lever, 5|).y about its pivot 52r under the`bias. of the springs 4.0. and H4. As hereinbefore set. forth,`sucl1clockwise. rotation ofV the lever 50 will permit, the-valveV member iofthe valve means M. to: engage its ..seat 35.. and thevalve member 9S. ofthestandby. pilot, valve 8.8 willen.- gage its seat. 9.6.. Thus.. thefuelV supply to the standby pilot burner 82 will be out. off andI theflame thereat. will beV extinguished. The appaf ratus is nowinthecondition shownin the drawi'ng with fuel supply to all burnersprevented.

In the event of electric power failure, the solenoid Winding of thesolenoid valve I8 will be deenergized regardless of the position of theswitch blade |211 and the solenoid valve I8 will assume its normallyopen position. With the solenoid valve so positioned, the system may beoperated manually merely by rotating the knob 68 to move the fuel cockof the manually operable valve means I6 to open position to admit fuelto the pilot burner 22 where it may be ignited by a match or the like.After ignition of the pilot flame, the various components of the systemwill automatically be positioned for steady state operation in the samemanner as when power is available.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the liereindisclosedapparatus provides a control systern for fluid fuel burners wherein asimple clock actuated switch is effective to control admission andignition of fuel thereby providing for a simple economical clock controland that it accordingly accomplishes the objects of the invention.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has -been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that many modifications may be made bythose skilled in the art. Such modifications may be in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by I etters Patent:

1. In a fluid fuel burner control system, manually operable valve meansfor controlling the supply of fuel to the burner, normally open valvemeans for controlling the supply of fuel to said manually operable'valvemeans, electrically operable actuating means adapted when energized toclose said normally open valve means, and timing means for controllingthe energization of said actuating means at preselected intervals.

2. In a iiuid fuel burner control system, manually operable valve meansfor controlling the supply of fuel to the burner, normally open valvemeans for controlling the supply of fuel to said manually operable valvemeans, electrically operable actuating means adapted when energized toclose said normally open valve means, an electric igniter for ignitingfuel flowing from the burner, and timing means for selectivelyenergizing said actuating means and said igniter at preselectedintervals.

3. The control system as claimed in claim 2 wherein thermally responsivemeans are provided for deenergizing said electric igniter when a flameis established at the burner.

4. In a fluid fuel burner control system, manually operable valve meansfor controlling the supply of fuel to the burner, normally open valvemeans for controlling the supply of fuel to said manually operable valvemeans, electrically operable actuating means adapted when energized toclose said normally open valve means, an energizing circuit for saidactuating means, an electric igniter for igniting fuel flowing from theburner, an energizing circuit for said igniter, switching means forselectively closing said circuits, and timing means for actuating saidswitching means at preselected intervals.

5. A control system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said energizingcircuit for said igniter includes a switch operatively associated withsaid manually operable valve means to be closed when said manuallyoperable valve means is in fuel flow permitting position and open whensaid manually operable valve means is in fuel ow preventing position.

6. A control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said energizingcircuit for said igniter includes a thermally responsive switch foropening said igniter energizing circuit when a flame is established atthe burner.

7. In a fluid fuel burner control system having main and pilot burners,means responsive to the presence of ame at the pilot burner forcontrolling the supply of fuel to the main burner, manually operablevalve means for controlling the supply of fuel to said last named meansand the pilot burner, an electric igniter for the pilot burner, normallyopen valve means for controlling the supply of fuel to said manuallyoperable Valve means, electrically operable actuating means adapted whenenergized to close said normally open valve means, and timing means forselectively energizing said electric igniter and said actuating means atpreselected intervals.

8. A control system as claimed in claim '7 wherein thermally responsivemeans are provided for deenergizing said electric igniter when a flameis established at the pilot burner.

9. In a uid fuel burner control system having main and pilot burners, anelectric igniter for the pilot burner, means responsive to the presenceof flame at the pilot burner for controlling the supply of fuel to themain burner, condition responsive valve means for controlling the now offuel to said last named means, manually operable valve means forcontrolling the flow of fuel to said condition responsive valve meansand to the pilot burner, normally open valve means for controlling thesupply of fuel to said manually operable valve means, electricallyoperable actuating means adapted when energized to close said normallyopen valve means, an energizing circuit for said electric igniter, anenergizing circuit for said electrically operable actuating means,switching means having a first position closing only said first namedcircuit and a second position closing only said last named circuit, andclock controlled means for moving said switching means between saidpositions.

l0. A control system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said energizingcircuit for said igniter includes a switch operatively associated withsaid manually operable valve means to be moved between open and closedpositions thereby when said manually operable valve means is movedbetween fuel ow permitting and fuel flow preventing positions.

l1. A control system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said energizingcircuit for said igniter includes a thermally responsive switch foropening said igniter energizing circuit when a, flame is established atthe pilot burner.

1'2. In a fluid fuel burner control system having main and pilotburners, an electric igniter for one of the pilot burners, meansresponsive to the presence of flame at said one pilot burner forcontrolling the supp-ly of fuel to the main burner, means responsive tothe presence of flame at said one pilot burner for controlling thesupply of fuel to another of the pilot burners, condition responsivevalve means for controlling the flow of fuel to said rst named flameresponsive means, manually operable valve means for controlling the flowof fuel to said condition responsive valve means and to said one pilotburner, normally open valve means for controlling the supply of fuel tosaid manually operable Valve means, electrically operable actuatingmeans adapted when energized to close said normally open valve means, anenergizing circuit for said electric igniter, an energizing circuit forsaid electrically operable actuating means, swtch'ing means having afirst position closing only said rst named circuit and a second positionclosing only said last named circuit, and clock controlled means formoving said switching means between said positions.

13. A control system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said energizingcircuit for said igniter includes a switch operatively associated withsaid manually operable valve means to be moved bel0 tween open andclosed positions thereby when said manually operable valve means ismoved between fuel flow permitting and fuel flow preventing positions.

14. A control system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said energizingcircuit for said igniter includes a thermally responsive switch foropening said gniter energizing circuitl when a flame is established atsaid one pilot burner.

VICTOR WEBER.

No references cited.

